Page 49 of Depths of Destruction

"No. We can't risk turning my phone on. Interpol will have me traced within seconds."

"But we need to warn her!"

Andre puts his hand on my leg. "Naomi, Malin won't have his phone on. There is no way to warn them."

"So there isn't anything we can do?"

"I'm sorry, but no. Malin will be careful though."

"Emilia can't—" My heart beats faster.

"She can't what?" Andre quietly asks.

I swallow the thick lump in my throat.

"What is it?" he asks.

How do I explain this?

What am I even trying to say?

My hands are tied. I can't help her.

"Malin will take care of her, right? He won't let her out of his sight?"

"Yes. You don't need to worry about her." His voice is full of confidence.

I exhale and try to convince myself Andre wouldn't keep telling me Malin will take care of Emilia if he won't.

"Ah, the road." Andre turns onto a two-lane dirt road. He glances at me. "Naomi, what's going on? You look like you're going to get sick."

"My sister doesn't deserve this."

A deep line forms between his eyebrows. "And you do?"

"I can handle it."

"What makes you think she can't?"

I swallow the thick lump forming. "She shouldn't have to go through anything bad again."

"Why do I feel like you aren't talking about her kidnapping?"

My stomach twists. I stare out the window, the trees becoming one large sea of green as tears form.

Andre picks up my hand and strokes the back of it with his thumb. "Naomi?"

I close my eyes. "Emilia's been through a lot. My mother dated a guy...he..."

Andre stays silent.

I roll my head against the back of the headrest, my face toward him. "We moved in with him. My mother was so happy. He seemed perfect and had a decent job."

"What happened?" he quietly asks.

My voice shakes. The pitch in my stomach intensifies. "She was ten. I was fifteen and into my friends. I didn't pay attention."

"You were a kid."